Category: Newcastle News

Newcastle Libraries will harvest the flourishing momentum for home vegetable gardens with the launch of the City’s first free Seed Library today.
One of the unexpected outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a national surge in the number of people growing their own fresh herbs and vegetables at home.
Newcastle Libraries will help cultivate this trend further by offering a variety of free seeds that residents can ‘borrow’ from the library to plant in their own gardens.
Residents will be encouraged to share in the fruits of each other’s labour by returning seeds from their ensuing harvest to the library in order to help re-stock and expand the collection.
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said the Newcastle Seed Library was an innovative community partnership project that would continue to flourish and grow as more people became involved.
“Gardening is a fantastic pastime with many benefits for your physical and mental health and wellbeing,” Cr Clausen said.
“Growing your own vegetables is also a fantastic way to teach children about the life cycle of plants, while learning new seed-saving skills yourself. The best thing is you don’t need a huge amount of space to get started, with many of the plants able to be grown in pots.
“City of Newcastle already has for years been collaborating with residents to successfully establish community gardens throughout the local government area. The Seed Library initiative takes that support one step further by offering free, easy to grow seeds that locals can take and plant in their own gardens.”
The Newcastle Seed Library will start with certified organic varieties including basil, tomato, zucchini, pumpkin and bush bean.
Manager Libraries and Learning Suzie Gately said residents were encouraged to stay involved beyond their initial library ‘loan’ by returning their own seeds to share with the community.
“Our motto is ‘borrow and grow, harvest and share’. Newcastle Libraries members are invited to take home the free seeds for their garden, grow and return the same variety after harvest, and add other varieties of seeds to the library too,” Ms Gately said.
“Sharing seeds through the Newcastle Seed Library will help preserve rare, tasty and historical varieties for gardeners in our community, while the return of successful seeds will allow us to develop a collection adapted to local conditions.”
The Seed Library is being piloted at Wallsend Library from 6 October, with additional branches to potentially be added depending on demand.
Locals will be encouraged to subscribe to the Newcastle Seed Library newsletter for free seed saving tips, while tutorials on the Newcastle Libraries website and regular free seed saving workshops will help them build skills and confidence to grow from seed.
For more information visit the Newcastle Seed Library website.

A man has been charged after allegedly stabbing another man in the Lake Macquarie region yesterday.
About 1.45pm (Tuesday 6 October 2020), emergency services were called to a home on Earswick Crescent, Buttaba, following reports that a man had been seriously injured during a fight.
Police were told that a 27-year-old man attended the address and allegedly punched a 47-year-old man multiple times before stabbing him in the armpit and leaving the scene.
Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attended, along with NSW Ambulance paramedics, who treated the older man for his injuries. He was taken to John Hunter Hospital for surgery.
A short time later, police arrested the 27-year-old on Wyee Road, Doyalson.
He was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with reckless wounding (DV) and assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV).
The Wyee man was refused bail to appear in Toronto Local Court today (Wednesday 7 October 2020).
The two men are known to each other.

A woman will appear in court today charged over the alleged sexual assault of two teenage boys near Maitland.
In September this year, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of two boys by a woman who was known to them.
Following extensive inquiries, a 29-year-old woman was arrested at a home near Maitland just after 1.30pm yesterday (Tuesday 6 October 2020).
She was taken to Maitland Police Station and charged with intentionally sexually touch child (between 10 and 16 years), two counts of have sexual intercourse with child (between 14 and 16 years), two counts of have sexual intercourse with child (between 10 and 14 years), two counts of common assault and self-administer/attempt self-administer prohibited drug.
Police will allege in court that the woman sexually assaulted two teenage boys at a home near Maitland between August and September this year.
The woman will appear at Maitland Local Court today (Wednesday 7 October 2020).
Investigations are continuing.

As part of the City’s response to COVID-19 overdue fines were suspended for an initial 6 months. However our community is continuing to face challenges so we’ve extended the fee free period to the middle of next year.
Since the pandemic we’ve had more than 1,300 new library members and we’re constantly looking at ways we can continue to provide them with more. More access, more services, and more ways to connect.
Extending our fines free period is another way we can offer more to all Library members. Plus we hope it will encourage new people to join and discover all their local library has on offer.
Membership is free and open to anyone who lives, works or regularly travels in the Newcastle region.  Find out more about becoming a member here or contact the Library team on 4974 5300

Newcastle Libraries will harvest the flourishing momentum for home vegetable gardens with the launch of the City’s first free Seed Library today.
One of the unexpected outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a national surge in the number of people growing their own fresh herbs and vegetables at home.
Newcastle Libraries will help cultivate this trend further by offering a variety of free seeds that residents can ‘borrow’ from the library to plant in their own gardens.
Residents will be encouraged to share in the fruits of each other’s labour by returning seeds from their ensuing harvest to the library in order to help re-stock and expand the collection.
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said the Newcastle Seed Library was an innovative community partnership project that would continue to flourish and grow as more people became involved.
“Gardening is a fantastic pastime with many benefits for your physical and mental health and wellbeing,” Cr Clausen said.
“Growing your own vegetables is also a fantastic way to teach children about the life cycle of plants, while learning new seed-saving skills yourself. The best thing is you don’t need a huge amount of space to get started, with many of the plants able to be grown in pots.
“City of Newcastle already has for years been collaborating with residents to successfully establish community gardens throughout the local government area. The Seed Library initiative takes that support one step further by offering free, easy to grow seeds that locals can take and plant in their own gardens.”
The Newcastle Seed Library will start with certified organic varieties including basil, tomato, zucchini, pumpkin and bush bean.
Manager Libraries and Learning Suzie Gately said residents were encouraged to stay involved beyond their initial library ‘loan’ by returning their own seeds to share with the community.
“Our motto is ‘borrow and grow, harvest and share’. Newcastle Libraries members are invited to take home the free seeds for their garden, grow and return the same variety after harvest, and add other varieties of seeds to the library too,” Ms Gately said.
“Sharing seeds through the Newcastle Seed Library will help preserve rare, tasty and historical varieties for gardeners in our community, while the return of successful seeds will allow us to develop a collection adapted to local conditions.”
The Seed Library is being piloted at Wallsend Library from 6 October, with additional branches to potentially be added depending on demand.
Locals will be encouraged to subscribe to the Newcastle Seed Library newsletter for free seed saving tips, while tutorials on the Newcastle Libraries website and regular free seed saving workshops will help them build skills and confidence to grow from seed.
For more information visit the Newcastle Seed Library website.

Four men have been arrested after a carjacking in Sydney’s Hills District early yesterday.
Police have been told a 29-year-old woman parked her BMW 428i in The Hills Showground Metro car park about 8.35am (Sunday 4 October 2020), when she was approached by a man who told her he had a knife and demanded the keys to her car.
The Kellyville woman handed over the keys, however, she was assaulted when she tried to run away and sustained minor injuries. The man drove away in the BMW.
An investigation commenced by detectives attached to The Hills Police Area Command and a description of the car was disseminated.
Following inquiries, about 9:30pm the same day, officers from Newcastle City Police District were patrolling the Junction area when they saw the stolen vehicle parked in Kemp Street. Police will allege the driver accelerated away and a pursuit was initiated. It was terminated shortly after due to safety concerns.
About 10:20pm, officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District Proactive Crime Team noticed the vehicle driving west along the New England Highway, Hexham, and followed it into Tarro.
With assistance from PolAir, the car was monitored through local streets, before it joined the M1, where it was seen travelling south.
About 1am today (Monday 5 October 2020), the vehicle stopped at police roadblocks at the Palmdale Road overpass at Ourimbah.
Four men – two aged 18 and two aged 19 – were arrested and have been taken to Wyong Police Station.
The operation involved police districts including Newcastle City, Lake Macquarie, Tuggerah Lakes and Brisbane Water, as well as Traffic and Highway Patrol, the Dog Unit, and PolAir.

World premieres, Australian debuts and festival-specific commissions will form part of an eclectic and ambitious program being put together for City of Newcastle’s flagship arts event.
The first details of the New Annual program will be unveiled at Civic Theatre tonight, showcasing the diverse line-up of visual and performing artists on the program for the 10-day festival, which runs from 12-21 February 2021 and will feature more than 100 artists and 50 events.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the event represented a $750,000 City investment in the arts and cultural sector at a difficult time for the industry.
“City of Newcastle is proud to invest in the arts, with the New Annual celebrating the depth of talent in our thriving cultural sector and providing a platform for national artists to showcase their work in our city,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Our long-term goal is to position New Annual as a leading arts festival on the national events calendar, sitting alongside Sydney Festival, Vivid Sydney and Adelaide Fringe.
“Over time the festival will grow to become a significant generator of cultural tourism, using arts and culture to share the city’s stories with the world, and position Newcastle as an innovative and creative region with a vibrant cultural history and bright future.”
The program features five festival-specific works commissioned from local artists and companies as part of a $86,096 grant from the NSW Government’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program. These include a new contemporary dance piece by Catapult Choreographic Hub inspired by and performed in the iconic Civic Park fountain and a shipping container turned cabaret theatre, bar and festival hub for local performances including an anchor show by Fingers Crossed Creative.
^{Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes with Catapult Choreographic Hub dancers at Civic Park.}
The invited artist program will include everything from the world premiere of two new compositions performed by Omega Ensemble, to a football-inspired new urban movement form founded by Feras the Shield and Maestro Ahil, while the Civic Theatre, Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle Libraries and Newcastle Museum will also present a range of performances, exhibitions and podcasts.
Councillor Carol Duncan said New Annual would enhance Newcastle’s reputation as a rich hub for visual and performing arts, while also providing a flagship cultural event with wide appeal.
“Newcastle has a thriving arts scene, with more artists per capita than any other city in Australia. We also have some of the most fantastic cultural venues, from the heritage-listed Civic Theatre and the iconic City Hall to the wonderful Newcastle Art Gallery, which houses one of Australia’s finest collections of public art,” Cr Duncan said.
“New Annual will provide Newcastle’s thriving independent arts sector with an opportunity to present work on a larger scale while attracting leading artists and audiences to share in this landmark arts event.”
^{Councillor Carol Duncan with Zackari Watt and performers of Fingers Crossed Creative inside Civic Theatre.}
New Annual’s program has been designed with the flexibility to operate as a COVID Safe event depending on Public Health Orders. To find out more visit www.newannual.com. The full program and tickets will be released in early January 2021.
New Annual Program Preview
Examples of festival-specific local commissions, invited artists and City of Newcastle events:
Massive Band – Bree Van Reyk
Massive Band is a community-engaged project that invites girls and women to join a massive rock band. A series of workshops conducted over several months teach participants to play three iconic rock songs by legendary women artists, which are then performed on mass at the performance event, led by Bree Van Reyk.
Acquist – Catapult Choreographic Hub
Newcastle’s renowned professional contemporary dance company Catapult Choreographic Hub are working on a new site-specific commission to be performed in the iconic Civic Park Fountain. It will make use of its striking architecture and explore the same themes as the fountain itself – Newcastle’s unique balance of beautiful natural environment and history as an industrial city.
Taylor’s Run – Curious Legends
Curious Legends are a local visual theatre company best known for their large-scale illuminated puppet performances for children and families. They have been commissioned by City of Newcastle to create a new site-specific performance at Summerhill Waste Management Centre that will explore themes of sustainability, waste reduction and environmental care.
Passenger – Jessica Wilson & Ian Pidd
Passenger is a theatre work, which places its audience inside a moving suburban bus. Passenger references Western films where the cowboy seeks to ‘right’ a ‘wrong’ that the law neglects or cannot rectify. Two strangers discuss the ethics of contemporary life before the female reveals her true identity and her mission of retribution. Written by Nicola Gunn and directed by Jessica Wilson and Ian Pidd, Passenger is a sweeping and cinematic theatrical experience.
Civic Theatre Presents: Civic Bar
The Civic Theatre will come alive throughout the festival, with Civic Bar becoming a hub of nightly programming, including the return of crowd favourite Civic Bar Beats.
Newcastle Art Gallery Presents: Void
Void brings together contemporary Aboriginal artistic practice from across the country. Curated by Emily McDaniel, the exhibition features existing works across the mediums of drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, video and photography by artists including Pepai Jangala Carroll, Jonathan Jones, Mabel Juli, John Mawurndjul AM, Hayley Millar-Baker, Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri, Rusty Peters, Doreen Reid Nakamarra, Andy Snelgar, Dr. Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher AO, Freddie Timms, James Tylor, Jennifer Wurrkidj, and Josephine Wurrkidj.

Ahead of the October long weekend, locals and visitors to Newcastle are encouraged to be mindful of COVID-19 safety while enjoying the City’s beaches and ocean baths.
While the usual beach management practices apply including swimming between the flags and observing the instructions of lifeguards, people are encouraged to maintain 1.5 metres or a towel length between others.
This weekend COVID Safe Beach Marshals will patrol local beaches and baths to educate the community about requirements under the Public Health Order, monitor crowd sizes and promote water safety.
People are asked to limit gatherings to 20 people or less when outdoors and to avoid crowded areas to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Once you’ve had your swim, surf and play we encourage you to pack up to ensure there is space at the beach for others.
If everyone follows the safety measures set out in the Public Health Order, the community will be able to enjoy Newcastle’s beautiful beaches and the predicted warm weather safely.

Police are appealing for public assistance after three children were reportedly approached in the Hunter Valley yesterday.
About 12.20pm (Thursday 1 October 2020), three children – aged 11, eight and four – were playing at the northern end of a reserve near Hunt Place at Muswellbrook, when they saw a man walking towards them.
The three girls started walking back to their homes when the man called out to the children and pushed all three to the ground.
The male then attempted to touch the eight-year-old’s face but she pushed him away and the girls ran from the reserve.
The eldest child called police who attended a short time later and took the girls to their respective homes.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District have commenced inquiries into the incident.
The man is described as being between 155cm to 165cm tall, in his early to mid-20s, with a dark complexion, medium build, black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone who may have information which could assist investigators is urged to come forward.